Originally published February 23 2006
Study finds all animals share basic locomotion characteristics
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
All animals seem to follow the newly proposed “constructal theory,” which is that the basic characteristics of locomotion for each animal are related to its mass. The theory actually applies to everything that moves in nature.
At first glance, a galloping stallion, a soaring eagle, and a tuna swimming don't look much alike, but a new study on animal locomotion suggests that when it comes to getting from place to place, these and all animals appear to have everything in common.
All animals, whether they run, fly, or swim, follow the newly proposed "constructal theory", the idea that the basic characteristics of locomotion for each animal---how rapidly and forcefully they step, flap, or paddle themselves forward---is related to their mass.
The constructal theory is based on the basic principle that systems evolve to minimize imperfections---such as energy lost to friction or other forms of resistance---and making use of the least amount of useful energy.
"This new law of physics tears down the wall that currently exists between biology and physics," study author Adrian Bejan of Duke University told LiveScience.
"Running, swimming, and flying occur in vastly different physical environments, and likewise, involve quite different body mechanics," Bejan said.
A flying bird must compensate for loss in the vertical direction due to gravity as well as friction as it moves forward on the horizontal.
"They flap their wings to reposition themselves on the vertical and maintain horizontal movement."
The same applies for a dog running on the ground.
However, applying these universal similarities to swimming animals proved difficult, even though data showed that swimmers show the same locomotion-to-body mass scaling as runners and fliers.
This means that their tendency to float counteracts the force of gravity and they neither sink or rise, and scientists had considered fish to move as though unaffected by gravity.
But fish still have to push water out of the way to move forward, Bejan said, and the only way to do this is to move the water over the fish.
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